I am a quilter - a recently-retired woman living with my husband in the Nebraska Panhandle. We are surrounded by beautiful semi-arid ranch country, and treeless hills and fields under incredibly wide blue skies. We are located far from the upheaval found often in large towns or cities. I am blessed to have delicious time to quilt and to appreciate my peaceful moments in an unpeaceful world.

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Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Ya wanna drink?

I don't have a finished quilt-y project so I will tell you a story - it might help someone else have better days.

This is about drinking – yeppers, drinking water.

Years ago, as a relatively young woman in my 40s, I suffered a number of Emergency Room visits with unexplained severe abdominal cramping, pains. Hours later, each time, I was released, with no explanation, no solution. It would eventually “go away”. In those days, we didn’t endure a gazillion medical tests.

I am the type of person who will forget everything else, when I get my ‘teeth’ into a project. If you’ve read my blog recently, I spoke about riding my bicycle in the mountains. I am enthusiastic, but NOT very physically fit.

My bike was a gorgeous mountain bike, 27 gears, good for all terrains, but not a light weight. I had gathered courage to join a 20-mile bike trek, and we were going to meet at one location, and head off, through hill and dale, in June. I was an ignorant newbie.

As soon as I unloaded my bike, I knew I was in trouble. The girls did NOT wear makeup - I think they were girls – all the participants had buns of steel and legs like trees. No cellulite except when I looked down at my own generous limbs. Everyone’s helmets were swoopy shaped things, designed like jet airplanes - mine was purchased at a garage sale. And their bikes? English racers, that probably weighed 4 pounds. I carried cookies in my fanny pack - they carried air pumps and water bottles and spare tires, Gatorade, compasses, their bikes had speedometers, rear-view mirrors, oh yes, and everyone wore Spandex! ( humpffff -- I WAS wearing my Spandex!) Oh well, I’m foolish and brave, and off we all went.

There WAS a safety pickup truck following us, with a uhhh .... generous-sized woman driving - definitely NOT qualified as physically fit! She didn’t have many teeth, and her hair hadn't been washed in a month I think -- and frankly I was too snooty to consider she would be my new best friend!

I pedaled my best but after 13 miles, in last place most of the time, I had to admit defeat, and she kindly picked me up – her first and only passenger. We chit-chatted about one thing and another, and I told her my malady of the unexplained abdominal cramping. Her immediate response, “Well darlin’ (this was in Tennessee) y’all need to drink more water!”

I had spent hundreds of dollars at a good-sized medical facility and the physicians had NOT solved my problem, but here this unexpected connection proved to have the solution to my unexplained medical issues. Since then, I’ve gotten ‘in trouble’ occasionally, only to find the problem dissipate when I drank more water. I frequently forget to drink, so now keep a daily log of water consumption, and have discovered an even more amazing thing. The days when I wake up listless, tired, weary, etc., are the days when I have not had enough water. And the days when I am at my best, most energetic, happiest, best frame of mind, most alert, are the days when I have drunk a LOT (64 oz.) of water.

We all hear we should drink more, but many of us tend not to pay attention, and our physicians don’t necessarily point this out to us. Maybe my story might help someone else.

It took a long time for me to make a habit of drinking water . . . now I can hardly wait to get to the kitchen for my first glass when I wake in the morning - who knew sleeping could make you feel parched *s*

To me water is the best drink there is. I drink lots of it and definitely feel bad if I don't. It's the best way to prevent Urinary Tract Infections too. BTW, if you do get a UTI take cranberry capsules with lots of water. Cures it in a matter of minutes for me.

Living in AZ for over 20 yrs has taught me the value of drinking! My mom's friend came to visit years ago. On a day trip to The Desert Museum in Tucson, I offered her a water bottle. She declined. My mom (Texan..knows ALL about water!) and I both drank and filled our bottles many times. By the time we had lunch, my mom's friend KNEW why I had offered. Now I don't OFFER to visitors..I TELL them:HERE is your water..drink it all..and keep drinking till you...well ...not to be too personal..till you PEE! (sorry..I still have kiddos at home! rotlf)

Yes, water is a 'miracle cure' and it is important to stay hydrated. What I never realized until recently is that coffed, coke and other caffeine drinks work against you because they are dehydrating, not hydrating. So now, instead of counting a cup of coffee towards my water, I add extra water (cause I don't think I can give up my coffee!)

What a great post! I started drinking a lot of water about a year ago... when I started the South Beach Diet (the 'first' time LOL). I love it, but I know I still don't drink enough. I bought one of those huge rectangular Brita dispensers and it lives in my fridge... it's practically the only thing I drink besides coffee.

Hear, hear! This is certainly the truth! And I'm as guilty as the next person. I know it's way easier to lose weight when I drink plenty of water. Now I must go find my water bottle. I know I've got it around here somewhere . . . .

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Beyond all the feel good benefits, you have a much better shot at keeping your kidneys happy, and staying out of my dialysis clinic! No offense, but none of us want to see any of you there.

Here! Here! It also helps to combat daily fatique by not being dehydrated. I drink nearly, if not more than, a gallon each day NOT counting soda, coffee, ect. I would like to blog further on this if you don't mind. And ..uhmm...glad it's all working better now.....

I don't drink enough, but I do know that it is almost invariably a cure for a headache. If you have a headache have a couple of glasses of water, before turning to the pain relievers! Also sound advice for the sake of your kidneys.

That's really interesting. I've tried in the past to uptake my water though I'm not very good about it. One thing is those bathroom trips and I mean right now or I'm going to be in trouble. Especially at 8:00 at night is not the time to discover you've only drunk half your quota of water and gulp down the rest... Only to be up three times during the night. Yuck. Even so, I'll try an extra glass tomorrow, just for you!

Love your story and enjoyed your point of view. Water.....can't live without it and I drink a lot of it. No so much when I was young but as I passed my mid 40's I realized water made all the difference in my health and disposition.

How true. I was told a few years ago by my doctor that I needed to drink more water. I try, even have a water bottle to take to Curves and it usually lasts me all day. It says 800 ml and I know that isn't enough. But so far no problems. But have had that UT a couple times. UGH. Great post. Thanks.

It`s not only your kidneys that love water, your brain loves it, too ! Here in Germany we have studies that clearly prove that performance consideratetly improves if students are allowed to drink water during classes in school.(" Your brain wants to swim" is what I tell my kids). Hey and if water improves thinking it will improve quilting, too...

I read on one of the bottle company's web. You should drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces. Example: you weigh 130lbs you drink 65 ounces. If you workout more of course. It took me awhile to get to me 1/2 lets just say it is over 100 ounces. But I feel great and now like water and I can tell if I don't drink enough.

Oh I was hoping for a photo of you in your spandex! LOL Last year I had gotten much better about drinking water, but I've slacked off. I'll increase my water intake immediately. Thanks for the reminder.